Northampton, Bath Scouts Camp At Philmont, N.m.

For 10 days, members of two area Boy Scout troops hiked and camped the mountains of the Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, N.Mex.

Last week, they came down from the mountains and continued on their journey with a stop at the Grand Canyon in Arizona and Mesa Verde, Colo.

During the six-week trip, the 14 boys and 6 leaders will experience a variety of camp sites, from the rugged in Philmont to backyard camping in the yard of a relative of one of the leaders.

But is was for Philmont they made the trip.

George Umberger, a State Police fire Marshall and scoutmaster of Troop 33 of Bath, said of Philmont, "It was the most beautiful country I've ever seen or experienced in my life."

Umberger and four scouts from the troop are accompanying members of Troop 93 of St. Paul's United Church of Christ, Northampton.

When the scouts left the base camp, they were on their own for 10 days. They carried all provisions in backpacks and ate dehydrated food.

G. Alvin Lynn, Troop 93 scoutmaster, said the boys hiked from 80 to 90 miles during their stay. Every one of them climbed to the 12,441-foot peak of Mount Baldy, he said. The camp sites were at elevations of from 6,600 to 9,200 feet.

Lynn said there was "a little more rain than usual," adding, "There has been no sickness, no homesickness. This is the first trip we've had no homesickness. In the mountains, the crews worked very well together."

The most serious injury was an incident of tendonitis that kept one boy off the trail for two days. Lynn said, "There are a few sore muscles and a few blisters, but it all worked out fine."

Umberger said his troop went along because "We all wanted the Philmont experience." He said he wanted to see the West. And Umberger said all were looking forward to camping in the Grand Canyon.

The 127,000-acre Philmont Scout Ranch was donated to the Boy Scouts of America by Waite Phillips in 1941. In 1963, Norton Clapp donated the 10,045 Baldy tract.

The Scouts will be in Colorado until Sunday, when they will leave for Wyoming. They are traveling in Sam III, a converted school bus.